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The new training material is aimed at ensuring London planners receive the knowledge and skills to develop and implement policies related to climate change.

The project was initiated by the London Energy Partnership and developed by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), with funding from the Department for Business and Regulatory Reform, the Greater London Authority, Haringey Council, Merton Council, Islington Council and the Energy Saving Trust. 

The materials were developed in conjunction with a wide range of agencies, including the Royal Town Planning Institute, the Town and Country Planning Institute, London Southbank University, University College London, Kingston University and Westminster University.

The training package will address a variety of planning issues, including:

• A general understanding of climate change and its implications
• Key energy efficiency, low and zero carbon technologies and measures, and their respective costs and benefits
• How to apply European Union, national and London-level guidance and policy in the planning application process, how they fit with local policy and what tools are available
• Key arguments to use in negotiations
• Encouraging and facilitating planning departments to draw on local energy expertise and share resources

Haringey Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise, Cllr Kaushika Amin, said:
"In Haringey 50 per cent of carbon emissions are from homes and 32 per cent from commercial buildings, and this is fairly reflective of London as a whole.

"As increasing numbers of properties and buildings are constructed across London, we would naturally expect carbon emissions to increase. We must take action now to halt this trend.

"Local authority planners can make a huge contribution by working with developers to ensure that new buildings are more energy efficient and produce fewer carbon emissions. In Haringey, for example, we have adopted new planning policies under which all major developments should have at least 10 per cent of energy coming from renewable sources.

"We hope this new training package will give future planners the skills and awareness they need to tackle climate change by promoting more sustainable developments."

Universities are now receiving training on how to use the new material, while trainers from the Continuing Professional Development Foundation will be taught about the package from next month (October).